


Dusk

by Jacrispea



Series: Seed Family Memories [1]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Love, Childhood Memories, Implied/Referenced Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24139918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacrispea/pseuds/Jacrispea
Summary: Part #1 of my Seed family "memories" (a collection of one-shots from their childhood and early adulthood).18 month old John is no where to be found and Jacob discovers his original purpose in life.
Series: Seed Family Memories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1742026
Comments: 9
Kudos: 29





	Dusk

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This is part one of my "Memories" series for the Seeds. In this fic, John's roughly 18 months old (just to give you an idea of why his speech maybe isn't as perfected as it is today 😉). 
> 
> Thanks for the read! Any recommendations for memories, please send my way!

"John?" Jacob hurried to the back yard, fear now gripping his chest. His pulse began to race with a panic he had never felt before. Scanning his usual hiding spots and coming back empty, Jacob called out again. This time, his voice shook as it rang out in the quiet evening air. "John!"

He bolted to the front of the house then, nearly colliding with Joseph as he rounded the corner. 

"Nothing?" Joseph asked. He was calmer than his big brother but Jacob knew he was just as worried. 

"No," Jacob huffed, bending down to check under the deck through the spot in the lattice that had rotted away years ago. His old man hadn't put the repair high on his list of priorities, even when the neighbourhood strays would burrow underneath and howl in the wee hours of the morning. Not even when a particularly nasty one had taken to nipping at his father's heels anytime he walked down the stairs. The dog was rewarded of course, with a boot to the ribs and the lattice remained. "You sure he ain't inside?"

"Positive. Jacob, he can't have gone far in…"

"Stay here, and keep searching the yard. You know how small he is. He could be hiding," Jacob interrupted. He looked up and down the street quickly. "I'll check the neighbourhood."

Joseph nodded and rounded the house to check the backyard again. Once he was out of sight, Jacob surveyed the area, trying to decide which direction to head. John had always enjoyed going for walks with his brothers, holding both their hands as they swung him off his feet and into the air between them. They normally walked to the end of the road and sometimes into the neighbouring woods if you could even call them that, but the days they allowed John to lead them, he always seemed to gravitate to the main road. Maybe it was the cars he loved to point and wave at; always shouting the usual "beee beee" sound he had adopted, at the few that honked their horns at him. It could have been the lights of the apartment buildings that lined the main stretch, but regardless, it never failed. He was always bound to head in that direction. 

Jacob's feet were moving then, pounding at the pavement as he sprinted in that direction. The houses in the neighbourhood were quiet; most of the people inside now sitting down for supper. Jacob thanked his lucky stars they were home and the traffic on his street was non-existent. Peeking in every yard as he ran, he called loudly for his brother. With every house he passed, his heart beat faster and the feeling of dread that filled his chest grew heavier. 

"John!" 

He was frantic now, slowing just long enough to survey each driveway. When his search came back empty, he would dart off again and repeat the process, calling for his brother until his throat scratched and ached. 

The last house he searched had two young boys, maybe Joseph's age, playing in the front yard. He ran to them and blurted out his question, "You see a young boy running around here? He's wearing a blue t-shirt... dark hair?"

They said nothing but pointed in the direction Jacob had been heading. He shot them a dirty look, but said nothing in return. When he turned to where they were pointing, he noticed the outline of a small child in the light of dusk. The child ran with unbalanced steps away from them. 

"John!" Jacob screamed, feeling the anger bubble in his gut. The toddler turned and upon catching sight of Jacob, froze just long enough to see the look on his brother's face. His little lips turned down in a frown and he ran with more urgency this time. "Get back here!" 

It didn't take him long to catch up to John who ran with tiny awkward steps. Grabbing him by the arm, he spun the boy around, gripping him tight.

"Ja" John muttered weakly. He looked up at Jacob with worry in his eyes. "Go. Go."

Jacob swallowed hard and dropped to his knees, holding his palms over the tops of John's tiny arms. The thought of something happening to his brother was enough to make him feel ill. 

"What were you thinking? You never run off! You hear me?"

John stared back, lip quivering. He stood tall, but soon his courage faded and his eyes brimmed with tears. Lowering his chin, he sniffed loudly as the tears fell on the collar of his shirt. 

"S'okay," Jacob told him quietly, folding his arms around his brother. John leaned into his embrace, his head buried against Jacob's shoulders as his body shook. "You could have gotten hurt. You gotta stay close to me and Joseph alright?" 

John wasn't quite two - of course he didn't understand all of the intentions behind Jacob's words but it was enough to make him nod his head and agree. "Des."

"Good boy."

Jacob stood, pulling John into his arms as he did, and ran a hand over the mop of hair that had fallen into his brother's eyes. He wiped at John's tears and pinched his cheek affectionately. "Ready to go home?"

"No, no, no, no, no," John shook his head frantically, chanting his new favorite word. "No do's."

"Joseph's waiting for you though, kiddo. Dontcha wanna play hide and seek?"

John stopped his head shaking and pondered that, but didn't reply. He wiped at his eyes with a chubby hand and looked at Jacob with curiosity.

"We have a bit of candy left," Jacob coerced. The last time he had taken a handful from their corner store, he made sure to get the marshmallow bananas John liked so much. It never took much to make John smile but those sickening sweet bananas always pulled the biggest ones from him. 

John nodded then and threw himself against Jacob's chest again. His little hands grasped at the back of Jacob's t-shirt as he held him close.

Inside, the knot in Jacob's stomach relaxed and he squeezed his brother back, happy to have found him safe. He didn't have a lot of say in what happened in their lives but there was one thing he could control. He could be there for his brothers - protect them, love them; even if that meant he would suffer in return. He'd take the old man's beatings. He'd distract John when he tried so desperately to gain his mother's attention. And he would be there to protect them. 

He'd do whatever he had to for them. It was the reason he was put into their lives; he was sure of that. 

It was his purpose.


End file.
